Orders are available for pick-up at Restaurant Nicholas at 160 Route 35 South Red Bank, NJ 07701 during the following times:
Monday: 9:30-3:30; Tuesday – Friday: 9:15am – 9:00pm; Saturday: 11:00am – 9:00pm; Sunday: Closed
$20.00 $17.50
Today’s wine is courtesy of the Eguren family of Sierra Cantabria and is creating similar ripples throughout the Spanish wine industry, despite not being in Rioja. Their wines, as Josh Raynolds says, are “some of Toro’s most intense, deeply flavored wines.”
I was lucky enough to taste through a lineup of six wines recently from the Egurens, each one flawlessly built. But without a doubt, the best value in the bunch is today’s 2018 ‘Romanico’ from Teso la Monja.
It’s a really, really strong wine that soars in quality way above its modest price tag. This is why Toros demand your attention. Vinous called it, “silky” with “strong energy” in their 92-point review. Suckling gave it a 91 and added, “harmony and some freshness with citrus undertones.”
This is a 92-point Spanish supernova with four 90+ scores that absolutely shines at the price.
Out of stock
92 Points, Vinous Media
Brilliant violet. Fresh black and blue fruits, vanilla, allspice and a hint of cola on the perfumed nose, complemented by a floral nuance. Silky and appealingly sweet, offering juicy boysenberry and cherry compote flavors and a spicy touch of white pepper. Shows strong energy on the gently tannic finish, which leaves lavender and spicecake notes behind.
91 Points, James Suckling
Plum and berry aromas with chocolate and lavender follow through to a medium to full body, round tannins and a fruity finish. Shows harmony and some freshness with citrus undertones.
90 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
A year-in, year-out great value, the 2018 Romanico is all Tinta de Toro brought up in used French oak. This charming, fruit-forward, yet surprisingly elegant red has lots of spicy red and black fruits, peppery herb, and graphite aromatics to go with medium-bodied richness on the palate.
The next great Big Red in the long line from the Wagner family of Caymus fame. Like the previous Quilt offerings, this represents Joe Wagner’s pick of the litter of available vineyard sources that puts his inimitable blending abilities into play. In a vintage as easy and as heralded as 2021, the only difficulty the Wagners had was finding things they didn’t like. So explosive and juicy on the palate with a lush mouthfeel and silky smooth tannins. A winner for Napa and Big Red fans alike.
93 Points, James Suckling – 92 Points, Wine Spectator – 92 Points, Parker’s Wine Advocate
San Giorgio Ugolforte is the sister winery of Poggio di Sotto. Their 2017 presents a dark core of red and black berry fruit layered with earth, leather, smoke, and herbs. It’s a complex and elegant expression, that presents a full mouthfeel that is firm in tannin structure. The refreshing acidity frames a graceful finish. Just a classic Brunello di Montalcino.
91 Points, Vinous
“The 2018 Carema is a terrific introduction to these wines. Bright and airy in feel, the 2018 is laced with the essence of sweet candied cherry, game, licorice, tobacco, dried flowers and incense. In a nutshell, this is what Carema is all about. The 2018 is just a bit rustic and gamy, but it makes up for that with its personality and overall expression of the appellation.” -Antonio Galloni
99 Points, James Suckling – 96 Points (Cellar Selection), Wine Enthusiast
“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello is a more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, all hitting 13.7% alcohol. As usual, it was aged in new American oak. It shows the higher Cabernet component and is deep purple-hued and tight and closed, with a primordial vibe to its dark blue and black fruit, smoked tobacco, vanilla bean, graphite, and cedarwood aromatics. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has terrific overall balance, building, ripe tannins, a good sense of freshness, and outstanding length. It reminds me slightly of the 2018 with its more elegant, streamlined profile, but I expect this to build with bottle age, and it should have 2-3 decades of overall longevity.” – Jeb Dunnuck
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